US, Canada, and Indigenous Groups Propose Plan to Combat Cross-Border Mining Pollution

The proposal aims to address pollution from British Columbia coal mines affecting waterways and fisheries in the US and Canada.

Officials from the US, Canada, and several indigenous groups have announced a proposal to tackle pollution from coal mining in British Columbia.
The plan involves establishing independent boards to study the pollution's extent and make cleanup recommendations under a century-old U.S.-Canada boundary waters treaty.
High levels of selenium from coal mining have been harming water quality and aquatic life in areas such as Montana's Kootenai River and Lake Koocanusa.
The proposal is a response to over a decade of lobbying by indigenous groups for federal intervention to stop the pollution.
A Canadian coal company previously fined $60 million for pollution discharges has invested in water treatment facilities to protect nearby waters.